Bossier Parish School Board is a

school district A school district is a special-purpose district that operates local public primary and secondary schools in various nations. North America United States In the U.S, most K–12 public schools function as units of local school districts, whi ...

headquartered in

Benton Benton may refer to: Places Canada *Benton, a local service district south of Woodstock, New Brunswick *Benton, Newfoundland and Labrador United Kingdom * Benton, Devon, near Bratton Fleming * Benton, Tyne and Wear United States *Benton, Alabam ...

Louisiana Louisiana , group=pronunciation (French: ''La Louisiane'') is a U.S. state, state in the Deep South and South Central United States, South Central regions of the United States. It is the List of U.S. states and territories by area, 20th-smal ...

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 U.S. state, states, a Washington, D.C., federal district, five ma ...

. The Superintendent of Bossier Schools is, as of 2019, Mitch Downey. The district serves

Bossier Parish Bossier Parish ( ; french: Paroisse de Bossier) is a parish located in the northwestern part of the U.S. state of Louisiana. At the 2010 census, the population was 116,979, and 128,746 in 2020. The parish seat is Benton. The principal city is ...

History

The first school built by Bossier Parish School Board was Benton High School in 1890. By 1905 It had three teachers and one graduating class. The school taught grades 6–12 with no more than 25 students per grade, with some grades missing students. In May 1969 the Supreme Court issued Desegregation in schools. The only black school in Benton, C.H. Irion High School, became Benton Elementary School; for the first time in Bossier School History blacks and whites were able to go to the same school. Benton High School currently teaches grades 9–12.

Controversies

Bossier Parish Schools was criticized when staff emails were published displaying a cavalier attitude about teaching

creationism Creationism is the religious belief that nature, and aspects such as the universe, Earth, life, and humans, originated with supernatural acts of divine creation. Gunn 2004, p. 9, "The ''Concise Oxford Dictionary'' says that creationism ...

directly from the

bible The Bible (from Koine Greek , , 'the books') is a collection of religious texts or scriptures that are held to be sacred in Christianity, Judaism, Samaritanism, and many other religions. The Bible is an anthologya compilation of texts o ...

to students. One teacher, Carolyn Goodwin, mentioned that "We pray at school functions and probably break the law all the time!!” In February 2017,

Americans United for Separation of Church and State Americans United for Separation of Church and State (Americans United or AU for short) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that advocates for the disassociation of religion and religious organizations from government. The separation of church ...

filed a federal lawsuit alleging a variety of unconstitutional practices. The lawsuit was filed by multiple anonymous plaintiffs, represented by Americans United, alleging official prayers were at school events, many school events being held in churches. Classroom teachers taught creationism and required students to recite prayers. Teachers and coaches also promoted religious student clubs and off-campus religious events. Religious items were displayed in classrooms and offices., A joint consent decree between the Bossier Parish School Board and the Bossier parents represented by Americans United was filed with the U.S. District Court for Western Louisiana on January 22, 2018. This consent decree would end official prayers, teacher proselytizing to students, teachings of creationism, religious displays, or staff organizing any religious activities at Bossier Parish Schools. It would also require the district to create a monitoring committee to identify and resolve any future violations. In September 2017 in reaction to the protests by professional athletes during the playing of "The Star Spangled Banner", the superintendent of the Bossier Parish School Board Scott Smith released a statement requiring all athletes at schools in the parish to stand during the playing of the anthem. The statement said, "Our principals and their coaching staffs have sole discretion in determining consequences should a student athlete elect not to stand during the National Anthem and they are making their expectations known to players and their families this week." A letter to parents and students signed by the principal of Parkway High School outlined punishments ranging from a one-game suspension or physical punishments such as extra running for failure to comply to removal from the team for continued protests.Updated: Punishment for protest during anthem outlined in Bossier

Shreveport Times ''The Times'' is a Gannett daily newspaper based in Shreveport, Louisiana. Its distribution area includes 12 parishes in Northwest Louisiana and three counties in East Texas. Its coverage focuses on issues affecting the Shreveport-Bossier market ...

By Roy Lang III; September 28, 2017

Notable former school board members

* Henry Burns * Jake W. Cameron *

Joe Waggonner Joseph David Waggonner Jr. (September 7, 1918 – October 7, 2007) was a Democratic U.S. Representative for the 4th congressional district in northwest Louisiana from December 1961 to January 1979. He was also a confidant of Republican Preside ...

Schools

6-12 schools

* Plain Dealing High Schoo

( Plain Dealing, Louisiana, Plain Dealing)

High schools

* Airline High School ( Bossier City) * Benton High Schoolbr>
(

) * Bossier High School (Louisiana), Bossier High Schoolbr>
(Bossier City) * Haughton High School ( Haughton) * Parkway High Schoolbr>
(Unincorporated area) *

Bossier Parish School for Technology and Innovative Learning Bossier may refer to: * Bossier City, Louisiana * Bossier Parish, Louisiana * Pierre Bossier Pierre Evariste Jean-Baptiste Bossier (pronounced Boh Zhay) (March 22, 1797 – April 24, 1844) was a planter, soldier and politician born in Natchitoc ...

br>
(Bossier City)

Middle schools

6-8 * Benton Middle School (Benton) * Cope Middle School (Bossier City)
Elm Grove Middle School
(Bossier City)
Greenacres Middle School
(Bossier City)
Haughton Middle School
(Haughton)
Rusheon Middle School
(Bossier City)

Elementary schools

PK-5 * Bossier Elementary School (Bossier City) * Central Park Elementary School (Bossier City) * Carrie Martin Elementary School (Plain Dealing) * Plantation Park Elementary School (Bossier City) * Meadowview Elementary School (Bossier City) * Waller Elementary School (Bossier City) K-5 * Apollo Elementary School (Bossier City) * Elm Grove Elementary (Elm Grove) * R. V. Kerr Elementary School (Bossier City)
Stockwell Place Elementary School
(Bossier City)
Legacy Elementary School
(Bossier City) * W. T. Lewis Elementary School (Bossier City) 4-5 * Curtis Elementary School (Bossier City) * Princeton Elementary School (Princeton) K-4 * Benton Elementary School (Benton) K-3 * Bellaire Elementary School (Bossier City) * Sun City Elementary School (Bossier City) 2-3 * Platt Elementary School (South Bossier City) K-1 * T. L. Rodes Elementary School (South Bossier City)

References

External links

Bossier Parish School Board
{{coord, 32.75308, -93.65978, type:landmark_globe:earth_region:US-LA, display=title Education in Bossier Parish, Louisiana School districts in Louisiana School districts established in 1890 1890 establishments in Louisiana